Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA):
Singapore's data protection landscape is primarily governed by the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA), which has been regularly updated (e.g., the 2020 Amendment Act). The PDPA sets a baseline standard for the collection, use, and disclosure of personal data. Key
Definition of Personal Data: The PDPA defines personal data broadly, unequivocally including phone numbers.
Consent Obligation: Organizations must obtain consent before collecting, using, or disclosing an individual's personal data. This means unsolicited collection and use of phone numbers for marketing or other purposes without consent is generally prohibited.
Purpose Limitation: Data can only be collected for specified, finland phone number library legitimate purposes, and its use must be limited to those purposes.
Data Subject Rights: Individuals have rights to access, correct, and withdraw consent for the use of their personal data.
Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC): The PDPC is Singapore's independent regulatory authority responsible for enforcing the PDPA, investigating complaints, and imposing significant penalties for non-compliance.
These robust provisions fundamentally restrict the public compilation and dissemination of extensive personal phone number directories.
The Do Not Call (DNC) Registry and Anti-Spam Measures:
Singapore has a highly effective Do Not Call (DNC) Registry, which came into effect in 2014. This registry allows individuals to register their Singapore telephone numbers (home, office, and mobile) to opt out of unsolicited telemarketing messages via phone call, SMS, or fax.
Mandatory Compliance for Organizations: Organizations planning to send telemarketing messages must first check the DNC Registry to ensure the numbers they intend to contact are not listed. Failure to do so, unless explicit consent has been obtained, constitutes a breach of the PDPA and can result in significant fines.